The Farmer's Lament ©

This poem was written at the time of the foot and mouth epidemic and is written in Border Scots.

This pain, this pain a cannae bide
Aw this killin, a feel inside
Thiv taen aw ma lambs an sheep
nery a yin can this fermer keep
an no sae lang ago
shot aw thi kye ower thirty month or so

God yi know wi love this land
please show us noo yir mestir plan
a'm share a'l no get ower this
ma hert is breakin it's thi sounds a miss
tae me, tae me this wiz nae job
bit a piece o pleasure a felt frae God
aw roon thi fields an time in thi byre
raisin yon young calves an yon lambs bi thi fire
those killers in Government will ne'er und'rstan
thir breakin thi heart o this fermin man
can yi no see thi tear runnin doon ma face
it's no whit yid expect fir a man o ma age